Got fuel, spark, compression, timing, and grounds, but the car still won't start
 

I'm stumped.

The car is a 90 DX, it's been converted to MPFI/OBD1.

I just swapped in my built engine, and now it won't start. I have fuel, spark, compression, cam timing is good, grounds are all connected but it just cranks and half-starts/sputters, etc. ECU doesn't throw any codes, and the wiring is good. I swapped the distributor off the old running engine onto this one, so I know it works as well.

I'm stumped, so I must be missing something. Any thoughts?

Re: Got fuel, spark, compression, timing, and grounds, but the car still won't s
 

what engine is it? also triple check your timing. sounds like mine, just cranked and cranked and cranked until i noticed i fucked up on the timing :1

Re: Got fuel, spark, compression, timing, and grounds, but the car still won't s
 

D16A6.

Just went out and triple checked timing, I even pulled off the pulley to make sure the woodruff key was still in. Cam timing is good, both marks line up right.

Re: Got fuel, spark, compression, timing, and grounds, but the car still won't s
 

a d16a6 huh. obd1? why is it obd1 may i ask. i kept mine obd with a pm6 ecu. what ecu are you using?

Re: Got fuel, spark, compression, timing, and grounds, but the car still won't s
 

Re-wired the whole car to OBD1 because I like it better. Using a P06.

Re: Got fuel, spark, compression, timing, and grounds, but the car still won't s
 

so you switched to obd1 and the car wont start now?



if you have been cranking the piss out of the car with no start that plugs are fouled my good man



I thought years ago that wasnt possible with a fuel injected car until my bro's 99 civic si was broken into and they jacked the apex vtec controller. He sputtered the thing home and good knows how many codes



wired up a new controller. Nothing. Had fuel spark no codes. Changed the plugs. Car ran like a champ and I went winging a stock bottom end b16a to 9500 like a little school girl for fun

Re: Got fuel, spark, compression, timing, and grounds, but the car still won't s
 

Nope, car was OBD1 before this all began. All I did was swap the engine for a fresh one.

No.1 injector had no power going to it, fixed that, still won't start.

Plugs are out, going to swap in a new set in after I re-do the injector wiring.

Re: Got fuel, spark, compression, timing, and grounds, but the car still won't s
 

wow the whole car re-wired to obd1! i left mine obd and i just got my hands on a p06 with my d16y7 i got. i also got a conversion harness though im not sure if its from obd0 ---> obd1, but what i do know is it has a broken pin which should be able to be fixed. but damn obd1, not worth my time.......

Re: Got fuel, spark, compression, timing, and grounds, but the car still won't s
 

Ok, not the whole car but the ECU plugs were swapped out for OBD1.

Just re-did injector wiring, still not starting.

Re: Got fuel, spark, compression, timing, and grounds, but the car still won't s
 

firing order?

Re: Got fuel, spark, compression, timing, and grounds, but the car still won't s
 

Got TDC on No1, popped dizzy cap off, pointing at No.1 plug. Plugs are in the right order on the engine and distributor.

I've gone through everything I can think of...

Re: Got fuel, spark, compression, timing, and grounds, but the car still won't s
 

all 4 cylinders getting spark?

Re: Got fuel, spark, compression, timing, and grounds, but the car still won't s
 

this is really wierding me out. i thought i had all the trouble in the world setting my timing yet you take the bait my friend. i wonder if your ecu is fubarred and thats why its not starting. is there a way to test the ecu?

also crank angle sensor? didnt the p06 on obd1's use a external sensor located at the crank and not in the dizzy?

Re: Got fuel, spark, compression, timing, and grounds, but the car still won't s
 

I just been checking No.1. I'm going to throw a timing light on it when I get a friend over here to see where it's actually firing.

ECU is fine, CEL comes on and goes off, I've pulled plugs to make sure it throws codes. You're thinking OBD2 cars with the external sensor, and even then there's still one in the distributor.

I think my timing is fucked, but I don't know how or why.

Chris, this thing has vitara's (7.5:1 compression) and a Delta 272, do you think maybe it just needs more timing advance?

Re: Got fuel, spark, compression, timing, and grounds, but the car still won't s
 

wow ya honestly try advancing the dist you have no compression in that motor and then the cam bleeding off what you have


its worth a try for sure

Re: Got fuel, spark, compression, timing, and grounds, but the car still won't s
 

this would have been great to know from the start lol.

Re: Got fuel, spark, compression, timing, and grounds, but the car still won't s
 

It runs!

It runs like ---- but it runs. Dizzy advanced all the way and the fuel is way off and the plugs were fouled to ----. I guess when you're dealing with something so non-stock little things add up.

On the downside, my clutch is fucked, the disc won't disengage so now I have to pull the tranny off and figure out if it's my fuckup or just a shitty clutch.

Re: Got fuel, spark, compression, timing, and grounds, but the car still won't start
 

maybe just a bad clutch cable?

Re: Got fuel, spark, compression, timing, and grounds, but the car still won't s
 

Well I went from a stg 3 pressure plate to a who knows how stiff. It's a local clutch company's clutch, the pedal doesn't feel that stiff but I'm wondering if that's because all the rubber bushings and stuff are just squishing.

I adjusted it all the way up as well, didn't change a thing.

Re: Got fuel, spark, compression, timing, and grounds, but the car still won't s
 

worn clutch cable yo




buy a factory honda unit dont buy a vatozone one unless you like replcacing he pedal assembley



also did you replace throwout bearing when you changed the clutch

Re: Got fuel, spark, compression, timing, and grounds, but the car still won't s
 

The clutch cable seemed to bring the lever up high enough...it worked with a stage 3 pressure plate as well.

Yes, I replaced all the bearings + had the flywheel machined, all at the same shop.

I'm friends with a guy who works there so regardless it's going back for them to look at and double check. If it fucks off again after I put it in, I'll spring for a new OEM clutch cable. Any other tips for super stiff clutches?

Re: Got fuel, spark, compression, timing, and grounds, but the car still won't s
 

oem clutch cables



I also had to use a spacer on the clutch cable bracket when I switched to an act extreme plate



car wouldnt hit gears right


2 other cars I know personally had the same issue



welded around an inch of pipe and slight the pipe to fit the cable in. Worked like a charm. Im rebuilding the car right now sohc vtec all motor junk

Re: Got fuel, spark, compression, timing, and grounds, but the car still won't s
 

Forget hitting gears my car won't even go into gear. Clutch depressed, with the car on the ground, just grinds.

Car on jacks, can't get it all the way into gear but 1/2 way engaged spins the tires.

Re: Got fuel, spark, compression, timing, and grounds, but the car still won't s
 

try the spacer dude it might fix your problem



2 bucks of pipe and 10 minutes of your time. Bust out the flux core for hmt old school effect

Re: Got fuel, spark, compression, timing, and grounds, but the car still won't s
 

---- ya. I even have the pipe laying around from making traction bars.

I would flux it just for the effect but it's too much of a pain to convert the MIG back over. I'll just set the wirespeed a little higher so it's nice and globby.

Re: Got fuel, spark, compression, timing, and grounds, but the car still won't s
 

that works


update this is a good thread with good trouble shooting stuff etc

Re: Got fuel, spark, compression, timing, and grounds, but the car still won't s
 

I'll make a new one when I get the clutch issue sorted, leave this at least a little related to the title.